Editing Windows Me (section)

===Release===
Although Microsoft signed off on the final build of Windows Me on June 28, 2000, after trialing three Release Candidate builds with testers, the final retail release was pushed back to September 14 for reasons that were not clear.<ref name="supersite_me_gold"/>

Shortly after Windows Me was released to manufacturing on June 19, 2000,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.microsoft.com/2000/06/19/microsoft-windows-millennium-edition-released-to-manufacturing-2/#sm.0000lm387012ryfgctcampr0x7y2u |title=Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition Released to Manufacturing |date=June 19, 2000 |publisher=Microsoft.com |access-date=2016-12-29 |archive-date=December 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230203425/http://news.microsoft.com/2000/06/19/microsoft-windows-millennium-edition-released-to-manufacturing-2/#sm.0000lm387012ryfgctcampr0x7y2u |url-status=live }}</ref> Microsoft launched a marketing campaign to promote it in the U.S., which they dubbed the ''Meet Me Tour''. A national partnered promotional program featured the new OS, [[Original equipment manufacturer#Computers|OEMs]] and other partners in an interactive multimedia attraction in 25 cities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/19449/microsoft-to-hit-the-road-with-meet-me-tour.html |title=Microsoft to hit the road with 'Meet Me' tour |publisher=Windowsitpro.com |date=2000-08-29 |access-date=2010-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204170508/http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/19449/microsoft-to-hit-the-road-with-meet-me-tour.html |archive-date=2010-02-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Windows Me was released for retail sale on September 14, 2000.<ref name=presspass>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2000/sept00/availabilitypr.mspx|title=Microsoft Announces Immediate Availability Of Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me)|date=2000-09-14|work=Microsoft PressPass – Information for Journalists|access-date=2008-08-02|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120109133113/http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2000/sept00/availabilitypr.mspx|archive-date=2012-01-09|url-status=dead}}</ref> At launch time, Microsoft announced a time-limited promotion from September 2000 to January 2001 which entitled Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE users to upgrade to Windows Me for $59.95 instead of the regular retail upgrade price of $109. Non-upgrade versions cost $209, the same as Windows 98 on its release.<ref name="MePromoPrice">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2000/jul00/promopricingpr.mspx |title=Microsoft Announces Promotional Pricing For Windows Millennium Edition Upgrade |publisher=Microsoft.com |access-date=2010-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504162638/http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2000/jul00/promopricingpr.mspx |archive-date=2010-05-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Nearly over a year after Windows Me's release, Microsoft released its successor [[Windows XP]] on October 25, 2001, which included the [[ZIP (file format)|ZIP folders]] and the [[Microsoft Spider Solitaire|Spider Solitaire]] game from Windows Me by default while also providing [[Internet Explorer 6]], the updated version of Internet Explorer 5.5 from Windows Me, all while being based on the more stable and reliable [[Windows NT]] kernel, which on XP was an evolution of the one found in [[Windows 2000]].